Big Spring ISD gets an 'A' on financial report card

Big Spring public school trustees will hear good news about the district's financial health when they hold their monthly meeting at 5:15 p.m. Thursday in the high school board room.

As it has every year since the program's inception, Big Spring Independent School District has received a “Superior Achievement” rating on Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) report compiled by the Texas Education Agency.

The FIRST report rates a school district's finances in a variety of different areas, including debt service, tax rate, investment earnings, reserve funds and expenditures per student.

BSISD scored 67 of a possible 70 points on the report to earn the superior rating. That grade was the highest of four possible ratings the district could have received.

The district missed out on a perfect score because it exceeded the state's recommended debt spending of $350 per student. However, the state allows fast-growth school districts to exceed that cap, so aside from losing a few points on the report, BSISD will suffer no consequences, school officials said.

The FIRST report was enacted into law in 2001, and BSISD has earned its top rating in every year since its inception.

Also Thursday, trustees will hold a pubic hearing on the district's intent to lease mineral rights of four acres of property northwest of Big Spring for oil exploration purposes. The four acres are the site of a former school located near Knott.